eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for your body what yee shall put on is not the life more then meate and the body then rayment Behold the fowles of the ayre they neither sow nor reape nor gather into barnes yet God feedeth them are yee not much better then they O yee of little faith Which of you by taking thought can adde one oubit unto his stature Take no thought for after these things seek the Gentiles you heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of these things Mat. 6. 25. to the end see Rom. 8. 32. Luk. 12. 15. Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you be carefull for nothing but in every thing let your requests he made known to God with thankesgiving Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as yee have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. In thy ignorance consider Wee have such an high Priest as can have compassion on the ignorant Heb. 5. 2. If any want wisdome let him aske it of God who gives liberally and it shall be given him but let him aske in faith without wavering Jam. 1. 5. Having fallen into passion to keepe thee from sinking under it consider what the Apostles said Wee are also men of like passions with you Acts 14. 15. Elias was a man subject to the like passions as we are c. Jam. 5. 17. And so of all other infirmities He will heale all thy diseases c. Psal 103. 8. If wee did live in Christ by faith more our infirmities would be lesse For a supply of all wants My God shall supply all you need according to his riches by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 6. 19. Christ is able and will supply all our wants 5. The life of faith for graces and in the exercise of them To beleeve They shall trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. This is his Commandment that yee should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3. 23. To increase in faith They shall grow from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. To live by faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. To continue in the faith He that beleeves in me though he were dead yet shall be live c. Luk. 22. 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. In exercise of faith Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3. Joh. 11. 25. 7. 38 39. He is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal 18. 30. He that puts his trust in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about Psal 32. 10. To know God Thou shalt know the Lord Pro. 1. 23. They shall all know mee Jer. 31. 33 34. To love God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Mat. 22. 17. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart that thou maist love him with all thy heart and soule Deut. 30. 6. I have declared thy Name that thy love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them Joh. 17. 26. In loving God He that loves me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe unto him and dwell with him Joh. 14. 21. 23. To seeke God That they should seeke the Lord Act. 17. 27. Seeke yee the Lord. In seeking God Blessed are all they that seeke him with their whole heart Psal 119. 2. The Lord hath not forsaken them that seeke him Psal 9. 10. Your hearts shall live that seeke him Psal 69. 32. They shall praise the Lord that seeke him Psal 22. 26. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing To feare God I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 39 40. They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Hosea 3. 5. In fearing God The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him Psal 147. 11. He that feares the Lord him shall he teach the way that he shall choose Psal 25. 12. There is no want to them that feare him viz. feare lest they sinne against him Psal 34. 9. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Psal 115. 13. To hope in God In hoping in God The Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy Ps 147. 11. Wee are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord Ps 146. 5. Be of good courage he shall strengthen your hearts all yee that hope in the Lord Ps 31. 24. To waite on God Waite I say on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart Psal 27. 14. In waiting on God They shall not be ashamed that waite for me Blessed are they that waite for him Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for them that waite for him Isa 49. 23. Isa 30. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 9. To delight and rejoyce in God Thou shalt have thy delight in the Almightie thou shalt rejoyce in God in thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day our hearts shall rejoyce in him Isa 41. 16. Psal 89. 16. Psal 33. 21. To praise God The living he shall praise thee daily shall he be praised they shall praise the Lord who so offereth mee praise glorifieth me Isa 38. 19. Psal 72. 15. Psal 63. 3. Psal 22. 26. Psal 50. 23. To injoy peace with God Let him take hold on my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa 27. 5. To love the Saints This is his Commandement that we should love one another 1 Joh. 3. 23. Little children love one another see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 Joh. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 22. By this shall all men know that yee be my Disciples if yee love one another Joh. 13. 35. 1 Joh. 3. 14. To love enemies Love your enemies doe good lend hoping for nothing againe and your reward shall be great c. Mat. 5. 43 44. Luk. 6. 35. To judge our selves They shall judge themselves worthy to be destroyed Judge your selves and yee shall not be judged Ezek. 36. 31. 2 Cor. 11. 31. To mourne for sinning against God I will powre upon them the Spirit of grace and they shall mourne Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Blessed are they that mourn in faith for they shall be comforted Zech. 12. 10. Joh. 16. 20. Mat. 5. 4. In poverty of spirit To him will I look saith God that is poore and of a contrite spirit c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven Isa 66. 2. Mat. 5. 3. In desires after Christ c. Hoe every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and drinke if any man thirst let him come to me and drinke
But I have sinned against Gods intreaties to returne So did they I said after shee had done all these things Turn thou unto me but shee returned not Jer. 3. 7. But I have sinned against Gods Reproofes So did they Thou hast a whores forehead that refusest to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. 8. But I have sinned against Gods corrections in not being reformed by them So did they In vaine have I smitten your children they have received no correction Jer. 2. 30. But I have committed one sin often So did they Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3. 1. 6. But I have continued sinning for a long continuance of time So did they We have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord from our youth unto this day Jer. 3. 25. 2. 22. But my sinnes are against knowledge and Conscience So was Davids sin concerning Bathshebah and putting to death Vriah And so did Peter sin when he said and swore he knew not Christ and that he was not with him Mat. 26. 69. to 75. But I am fallen back from what I have been So did they Returne thou backsliding Israel Jer. 3. 6. 12. But I have willingly and resolvedly forsaken God So did they saying We are Lords wee will come no more at him Jer. 3. 31 32. But I have willingly chosen sin So did they saying I have loved strangers and after them will I goe Jer. 2. 25. But I have seduced others and caused them to sin So did they Thou hast also taught the wicked ones thy wayes Jer. 2. 33. And Manasseh seduced them to doe more evill then did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed and made Judah also to sin 2 King 21. 9. 11. 16. And Paul compeld men to blaspheme Act. 26. 11. 16. Manasseh a great sinner obtained mercy 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. And a lesser sinner perisheth in his sin that men may know the Lord will have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9. 15. But I have committed as much sin as I could So did they Behold thou hast spoken and done as evill things as thou couldst Jer. 3. 5. But my sins are after vowes and Covenants So were theirs Thou saidst I will not transgresse when upon every high hill and under every greene tree thou wanderest playing the harlot Jer. 2. 25. But I have justified my selfe in all my sinnes So did they Because thou saidst I have not sinned I will plead with thee Jer. 2. 35. But I despaire and have no hope of mercy This is worst of all yet so did they Thou saidst there is no hope Jer. 2. 25. And when I cry he shutteth out my prayer and I said My strength and my hope is perished with the Lord said Jeremiah Lam. 3. 8. 18. And Job said My hope hath he removed like a tree Job 19. 10. My dayes are spent without hope Job 7. 6. 13 14 15 16. David in his hast said I am out off before thine eyes Psal 31. 22. Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. Yee were sometimes afar off without God and without hope Ephes 2. 12. yet at last they were made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2. 13. Behold all these were once like unto thee and the Lord hath had mercy upon them and so he may have mercy upon thee also therefore poore soule be not out of hope mind what David said I was brought low and he helped me Psal 116. 6. God is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Consider what the name of the Lord is Exod. 34. 5 6 7. Oh the unsearchable riches of his grace all that know his Name will trust in him Psal 9. 10. And because the greatnesse of sin is one of the greatest discouragements to a soule under the sense of sin Consider these things which are incouragements of hope unto thee 1. Incouragement to hope The multitude or greatnesse of sinne ought not to be a discouragement unto thee because the fewnesse or smalnesse of thy sinnes are not to be any ground or cause of thy confidence in God for pardon but in the promise of God of pardon in which promise the truth and faithfulnesse is 2. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God doth no where say that great sinners shall not be saved therefore to conceive so is folly and no lesse then a delusion of Satan 3. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God saith the contrary that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chiefe sinners and this is a saying worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be made as wooll Isaiah 1. 18. The word of God declares many great and sweet promises to great sinners as Jer. 3. Isa. 55. 7 8 9. 43. 24 25. There be many examples of great sinners received to mercy as Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. Paul and one who was a sinner with a witnes Luk. 7. 37. 47. And many others yea the rebellious also Psal 68. 18. 4. Incouragement to hope Because there is a fountaine set open for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. And Christ is mightie to save Isa 62. 1. He will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. And his compassions faile not Lam. 3. 22. 5. Incouragement to hope Because great sinners that are heavie laden with sinne are called to come to Christ Mat. 11. 28. If any man thirst let him came to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. Every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. 6. Incouragement to hope The Saints have made their greatnesse of sinne an incouragement to beleeve Lord pardon my sinnes for they are great Psal 25. 11. How great is his goodnesse much greater then thy sinnes Zach. 9. 17. Isa 43. The greater our sinnes are the greater our faith should be Loe here is great consolation 7. Incouragement to hope Because God doth not sell Christ or grace but he gives Christ and all that is his freely Yee that have no silver come buy and eate come buy without money Isa 55. 1. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and let whosoever will take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. Jesus stood crying saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. 8. Incouragement Because such as Jesus Christ saves are unworthy ungodly and without works Rom. 4. 5 6. The most perfect Saint that ever hath been did stand in need of mercy and was unworthy Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his servants and chargeth his Angels of folly how much more in them that dwell in
thou doest that which thou wouldst not as Rom. 7. 14. to 25. in our selves we are imperfect at the best Gal. 6. 1. The strongest is not able to stand alone also some of the Lords partake more of naturall choler which increaseth naturally and as that choler is we are more or lesse hasty and passionate A wicked man may be naturally patient and a childe of God may be sinfully passionate Jam. 5. 17. Thou shouldst not measure Gods love to thee nor the truth of his grace in thee by thy mortification of sin consider Rom. 7. God may for ends best knowne unto himselfe suffer corruption to be too strong for thee it may be to abase thee more as Paul Rom. 7. that thou maist see what need thou hast of a Lord Jesus to pardon and heale thee who knoweth but God may leave thy personall sanctification the more imperfect that we may minde and behold Jesus Christ and our righteousnesse in him and so live the more in him and our joy the more in our justification by him Rom. 4. 6 7. It 's one thing to have thy sinnes forgiven or not imputed Psal 32. 1 2. and another thing to be clensed from it live in the apprehension of the love of God and down goeth sin and all discouragements so live in discouragements and sinne prevailes as Psal 77. 2. 7 8 9 10. Wee ought not to fetch our comfort from our subduing of sinne but in Christ in whom we want no righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods When we are at the best we may not live in our selves nor by sight but by faith and when we are at the worst we are to live upon Christ by saith and comfort our selves in him and in him onely many when they want strength or comfort they seek what they want from their duties and comfort themselves in their abstainings from sin but for Christ he is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. What I once felt is now decayed The ground of our faith is God in his Word and not our sight and feeling that is sensuall 2 Cor. 5. 7. We live not by sight and feeling but by faith Whilst thou maintainest feares and jealousies of Gods love to thee it is no wonder it is so with thee call to minde the dayes of old as Psal 77. It 's certain if ever God manifested his love unto thee he is still and ever will be the same unto thee having loved his owne he loved them unto the end Joh. 13. 1. With him there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. A child of God may decay in parts sight feelings and exercise of grace for a time as Phil. 4. 10. these are sometimes more and sometimes lesse but alwayes as God seeth best that wee might rest and relie upon nothing but Christ I see and feele nothing in my selfe or all is as nothing to me save onely Jesus Christ who is all in all to me We ought to beleeve that we neither see nor feele faith is the evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. To live by faith is to walke after the Spirit and to live by sight and feeling is to live after the flesh Rom. 8. 1. I am discouraged because nothing is made good to me I doe not possesse it If thou beest included and art under the promise of it and under the hope of it thou shalt possesse it It may be made good unto thee without thy possession of it for wee must not ground faith in the possession of what it beleeves possession is sutable to sense and there is neither faith nor hope in what we possesse To have right in it and to possesse it are two things they died in faith and yet they did not possesse what they beleeved Heb. 11. 17 18. The possessiō of things gives no being unto faith nor is essentiall unto it no otherwise then as faith gives being unto it Abraham beleeved he should have a sonne here was his faith Rom. 4. 3. 17. 18. yet he did not possesse his sonne his sonne had no being but in the promise of God therefore to place enjoyment to be essentiall to faith is a very great mistake As a man must first beleeve God is before he can goe to God Heb. 11. 6. so a man must first beleeve in Christ to have remission of sinnes by him and after receive remission of sinnes as appeares Acts 10. 43. It thou hast power to close with God in the truth of his Word as Sarah did that shee should have a sonne not onely before shee had him but against reason shee beleeved shee should have him thou hast faith But I am not assured that I shall be saved therefore I have no faith Faith and assurance is not one thing but are differing and distinct assurance cannot be without faith but faith may be without assurance for assurance is not the proper act of faith assurance is an effect of faith and a higher measure then that is and the greater our feeling of assurance is the lesser our faith is Faith in the act is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing shee feeles in her selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his word Rom. 4. 20 21 22. The act of faith is sometimes attended with much strife and strugling for Satan saith to the soule it 's in vaine for thee to looke to Christ to beleeve in Christ Christ saith Come unto me beleeve I will ease thee Now for the soule to rest upon the fidelitie and abilitie of Christ in his promise is no small measure of faith assurance is not from the habit of grace nor from the direct act of faith but from the reflect act of faith which is for a man to see and know that he beleeves which assurance is from the immediate testimony of the Spirit of God in the conscience of one who is already a beleever causing the soule to know it beleeves The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Now abideth faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. therefore faith doth at all times one way or other sufficiently evidence the truth of our estates if we did at all times truly discerne the testimony or true act of faith and the reason why we discerne it not is for want of a full measure of faith to withstand all that is opposit to faith for some there be who have faith yet by reason of their ignorance and unskilfulnesse as Heb. 5. 14 15. 10. 15. forgetfulnesse babes are unskilfull and have not experience of Gods dealings with his both for order and manner so that when faith doth not so lively act and when Christ doth not clearly appeare in the soule he begins to doubt whether he be not deceived and when
guide thy feet in the way of peace Luk. 1. 78 79. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. What was that which brought thee so low but poring so much upon thy sins untill thou wert filled with despaire and thy omissions and commissions against conscience increased thy horror do the contrary and first beleeve then repent and see that yee daube not your selves over with your duties and know that which is a great cause of mourning is no cause of despaire therefore cast not away your confidence Heb. 10. 35. for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37 38. Therefore say as the Prophet said When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me he will bring me forth into the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Micah 7. 8 9. I am in great misery and want outwardly by reason of poverty if God did love me I should not be so much neglected as I am Thou shouldst not reason so what thinkest thou of the condition of those who wandred about in sheep-skins goat-skins in deserts mountaines dens and caves of the earth I feare they were more destitute of outward comfort then thee and suffered more hunger cold and nakednesse then thee hast thou not a house not a bed to lie on the places where they wandred afforded not these things unto them art thou destitute afflicted and forsaken so were they whom God loved and esteemed the world not worthy of Heb. 11. 37 38. Poverty and want hath attended and kept company with many a deare childe of God Job was poore yea the Churches of Jesus Christ have been poore the Church of Corinth was poore 2 Cor. 8. 14. The Church of Smyrna was poore Rev. 2. 9. The Church of Macedonia was in deep poverty 2 Cor. 8. 1 2. And our Lord Jesus Christ was poore 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thou maist be very poore and yet God may love thee as he loves Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 26. The poore receive the Gospel and the profession of the Gospel of Christ have made the rich poore in that for Christ they have suffered the losse of all things Phil. 7. 8. In thy greatest want be content to be like Christ in poverty as well as in glory Joh. 17. 24. for the time will quickly come in which you shall feele no want nor suffer no hunger cold or nakednesse There is no state and condition under the Sun that is free from Satanst ēptations those who have more abundance of outward things he suggests insinuates unto them that these things are all they are like to have that seeing they have a heaven here of outward contents they must not expect another hereafter And to those who have greater gifts and parts he saith they are not given to them in love but onely for the benefit of others and is ready to discourage them Satan is ready to get an advantage of us wee are not ignorant of his devises 2 Cor. 2. 11. The Lord teach his to know the depths of Satan Rev. 2. 24. to know his stratagems and to resist him And as there is no state under the Sunne free from trouble so it is a sweet comfort unto all that are the Lords that there is no state and condition but as God can so he will support his in and under it and make it sweet and comfortable unto them yea the best for them for all things shall work for good to them that love God 1 Cor. 10. 13. Rom. 8. 28. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. I cannot see God surely God hath forsaken me Sometimes God hides himselfe from his as the Scripture declares Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe Isa 45. 15. I opened to my beloved and he had withdrawne himselfe Song 5. 6. Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him Job 23. 8 9. Our carnall reason and corrupt heart and Satan with his suggestions are so neere us before our eyes that we cannot see God and wee hearken so much to what they say that we minde not the voyce of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. It is one thing to know and another thing to know that wee know Christ said they knew they said they knew not Christ said Whither I goe yee know and the way yee know Thomas said unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how then can we know the way Christ spake true and they knew not that they knew Joh. 14. 3 4 5. So shee saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus When their eyes were opened they knew him Luk. 24. 31. Paul prayed that they might know the hope of their calling Ephes 1. 18 19. When God hideth his face we are to wait upon him and look for him Isa 8. 17. for he will returne againe but Sion said The Lord hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her sucking childe c Yea shee may yet will not I forget thee Isa 49. 14. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee Isa 45. 7 8. When God absents himselfe from his his love and care is the same unto them as it is when he most manifests himselfe to them Another is discouraged saying I thought I had true faith but since I fell into a great sin I am perswaded if I had been the Lords I should not have been so left of God as I was to sin so as I did Say not so but consider that even some of the children of God he hath suffered to fall if not into the same sinnes yet as great David sinned in adultery and murder how greatly did Solomon sin after he obtained mercy 1 King 11. 9. And Peter denied Christ with an oath yet his faith was not voyd or nought Christs prayer was heard I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luk. 22. 32. therefore his faith never fayled him These examples are recorded in Scripture to set forth the glory of the riches of Gods free grace Eph. 2. 4. That men may know what God can doe and that great sinners might not despaire or faint under their sin therefore Christ saith All sinnes shall be forgiven unto the sonnes of men and blasphemies Mark
my words unto you 1 Tim. 4. 13. Rev. 1. 3. Pro. 1. 23. To meditate Thou shalt meditate therein day and night Blessed is the man that meditateth on thy Law day and night My meditation of him shall be sweet the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding Josh 1. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 15. Psal 1. 1 2. Psal 104. 34. Psal 49. 3. To holy conference The mouth of the righteous speakes wisdome the lips of the wise disperse knowledge my words shall not depart out of thy mouth they that feared the Lord spake oft one to another c. They that love it shall eate the fruit thereof Prov. 15. 17. Pro. 18. 21. Maâ—a 3. 16. Psal 37. 30. Psal 71. 24. Isa 59. 21. To heare Christ and his Ministers Blessed is the man that heares me watching daily at my gates Heare and your soules shall live Pro. 8. 34. Isai 55. 3. To be baptized See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou maiest and they went both downe into the water and he baptized him Acts 8. 36 37 38. He that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. For Saints to receive the Lords Supper Doe this in remembrance of me it was given for you Take eate this is my body Luk. 22. 19. Joh. 6. 58. To be prepared for duties Thou wilt prepare their hearts If thou prepare thy heart c. Psal 10. 17. Job 11. 13 14 15. To obey God As soone as they heare of me they shall obey me Ezek. 36. 27. To be fruitfull in season His leafe shall be greene and he shall not cease from yeelding fruit he shall bring forth his fruit in season his leafe shall not wither Jer. 17. 8. Psal 1. 2 3. For abilitie to obey God The righteous also shall hold on his way and he shall be stronger and stronger they goe from strength to strength every one of them Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength my God shall be my strength I will goe in the strength of the Lord he gives power to the faint and to them that have no might be increaseth strength They that wait upon the Lord shall renue their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and shall walke and not be faint I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me God gives strength and power to his people blessed be God Job 17. 9. Psal 84. 7. Isa 45. 24. Isa 49. 5. Isa 40. 29 30 31. Phil. 4. 13. Psal 68. 35. In all temptations That it shall not be above that wee are able to beare and for a good issue out of all temptations There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that yee are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it 1 Cor. 10. 13. Jam. 1. 12. Rom. 6. 20. To know the truth He that will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth The meeke will he teach his way He that feareth the Lord will he teach in the way he shall choose Joh. 7. 17. Joh. 16. 13. Psal 25. 9. 12. For direction in all our wayes I will direct all his wayes I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe I will guide thee with my eye For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even untill death Isa 45. 13. Ps 32. 8. Psal 48. 14. To reprove others Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour then he that flattereth with his tongue The feare of man bringeth a snare but to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good blessing shall come upon them Levit. 19. 17. Pro. 28. 23. Pro. 29. 25. Pro. 24. 25. To correct children c. The rod and reproofe give wisdome but a childe left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame but if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye thou shalt beat him with the rod Pro. 25. 15. Pro. 29. 15. Pro. 23. 13 14. For husbands to love their wives Husbands love your wives Ephes 5. 25. 28. 33. For wives to obey their husbands Wives obey your husbands in every thing lawfull Ephes 5. 24. For children to obey their parents Children obey your parents in the Lord Ephes 6. 1 2. For servants to obey their Masters Servants be obedient to those that are your Masters Ephes 6. 5 6 7. To obey Gods commands In keeping them there is great reward Psal 19. 11. Blessed are they that do his commandements Psal 19. 11. Prov. 37. 27. Rev. 20. 6. Rev. 22. 14. To leave false worship See 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. To dwell in Sion and to injoy the priviledges thereof The ransomed of the Lord shall come to Sion with joy I will take one of a Citie and two of a family and bring them to Sion They that love his Name shall dwell therein Isa 35. 10. Jer. 3. 14. Psal 69. 36. To be fruitfull there Those that are planted in the house of God shall flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in old age and be fat and flourishing All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed of them which the Lord hath blessed They goe from strength to strength every one of them in Sion c. Ps 92. 13 14. Isa 61. 9. 62. 12. Psal 84. 7. That God is present there He dwels in his Church He walkes in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes Thou that dwellest in the gardens Rev. 2. 1. with Rev. 1. 10. Song 5. 1. 6. 2. 8. 13. For the acceptation of their services there see Song 5. 1. with Deut. 12. 5 6 7. For his blessing there The Lord shall blesse thee out of Sion I will abundantly blesse her provision they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house blessed are they that dwell in thy house for they shall he still praising thee Psal 132. 15. Psal 36. 8. Psal 84. 4. For protection there Thou shalt hide me in the time of trouble in the secrets of thy Tabernacle Psal 27. 4 5. For Saints to agree in the truth I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32. 39. To have joy and gladnesse there The Lord shall comfort Sion and joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thankesgiving and the noyse of melody Isai 51. 3. In reproaches for Christ Blessed are yee when men revile you for my sake falsly rejoyce and be glad and leape for joy for behold great is your reward in heaven
referre thee GRAVE COUNSELS Concerning actions LEt all your actions have a good foundation a word of God to warrant them else they are evill to do things not required by God is the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3. 17. God will say Who required this at your hands as Isa 1. 12. consider Deut. 12. 32. Ephes 4. 14. First looke that what yee doe be lawfull next consider that it be expedient the circumstances of time place persons must be wisely considered to a good action is required that all the circumstances be good also Next looke to your ends why yee doe what yee doe for the end and scope of an action conduceth to the being of it if two duties come together doe the chiefest first unlesse workes of mercy and necessitie hinder and looke to doe every dutie required of thee to doe one and neglect another is uncomely give each dutie its due respect and looke with what affections yee doe what yee doe serve the Lord with the best and serve him fully for measure and degree he that doth these things his conversation is beautifull and savoury Concerning the judgement and affections Ever suspect your judgement and affections when the cause concernes your selves Often call your affections to account When your affections exceed their bounds aske thy soule the reason of it Let not your judgement be taken captive by your affections Make not your affections knowne in company as little as may be unlesse the cause be extraordinary Concerning afflictions Sleight not affliction nor let it over-presse thee it 's appointed 1 Thes 3. 3. Rom. 8. 29. There is a fruit of the least crosse looke more at the fruit then deliverance from the crosse the longer it continues the more thou maist get by it Labour to know the cause of every affliction All that are the Lords are to stay themselves in the love of God and attend upon him for the time manner and measure of their deliverance Bondage Esteeme that bondage that causeth thee to sin or keeps thee from God Conscience Conscience is a very tender thing and must be tenderly used Prize and preserve a tender Conscience and hearken to the noyse of it Take heed yee wound not your Consciences to please your affections Creatures Use the creatures so as thou beest not unfitted by them to serve God and man God gave not the creatures to hurt us Companion In the choice of a companion consider what soundnesse of judgement there is what knowledge and sensiblenesse of their own inward corruption and whether they speak of others infirmities with compassion never trust him who will conceale any sinne he seeth in thee Crosses Be not offended at crosses they may doe thee much good and let out sinfull selfe Concupiscence To avoyd concupiscence be temperate in all things dyet sleepe apparell recreation c. And feare thy selfe watch thy senses and avoyd the occasion of it as persons times places be frequent in fasting and prayer and looke up to God for strength against it Desires We had need to use meanes to moderate our desires to things below We should rather endeavour to make our desires equall to our estates then to make our estates equall to our desires Excuses Be afraid to cover over any evill with an excuse Of errors If you would be kept from errors pray to God search the Scriptures and be well grounded in the principles of truth Of others falls Let the consideration of the many great falls the Saints have had cause thee to feare thy selfe A friend Esteeme him thy friend that would hinder thee in sinne Griefe Discover not thy griefes to many and choose such as are able and willing to helpe thee The Lord is loving and pitifull able and willing to help it 's best to complain to him Of good To doe good we live therefore thinke not much of doing a little good though it be with great trouble Esteeme not that to be the chiefest good that may be taken from thee Concerning thy estate Judge not thy estate by thy knowledge affections and actions but by the principle Men. Be sure yee try men well and have good experience of their faithfulnesse before yee trust them with much Reproofes Receive reproofes willingly and profitably Reproaches Sleight not reproaches he that is not guiltie may be guiltie in part or hath been or is in another kind c. so it 's but a mistake thou maist be guiltie in the same kind it may be sent to humble thee and give thee warning of the same sinne Of successe Judge not of the goodnesse of thy action by the successe but judge thy successe by the goodnesse of the action c. Of sinne Judge not sin alwayes by the matter or act of it but by the rule and greatnesse of the authoritie of the commander that forbids it and bring in all the circumstances and aggravations of it Of speech When thou speakest of thy selfe speak modestly without vanitie and boasting Time Redeeme the present time to do good depend not upon the time to come which is uncertain and not at thy disposing Counsell to the unmarried 1. THinke not of marrying untill yee have first sought God by earnest prayer for strength and contentednesse to live a single life 2. Use such meanes as may best enable and fit thee for a single life observe a wary and temperate dyet company fasting and prayer meditation on God c. diligence in thy calling it may please God by these and the like meanes thou maist attaine the gift of chastitie 3. Be informed of the conveniences and inconveniences of a married life consider whether you be able and willing to drinke of the bitter cup of discontents which the married oft drinke of what cares and burdens attend that state If upon the use of meanes for some space you finde God inclines your heart to marry feare nothing but cast thy care upon God and be as wise as thou canst and venture upon a wife or husband 1. Pray to God to give thee a wife or husband that may be a meet helpe for thee a vertuous wife is called a gift of God the crowne of her husband crownes are precious and honourable happie is he that hath such a crowne Her price is farre above Rubies Pro. 31. 10. No jewell is to be compared unto her shee is worth the asking 2. Doe nothing rashly snatch not up the first that comes to hand prove shee well or ill shee may please well for a moment and be a thorne in thy side for ever after 3. If thou beest the Lords marry in the Lord love such as the Lord loveth that which is desireable in a man is his goodnesse Pro. 19. 22. So in a woman men seeke wealth and beautie though they have no Religion but these things cannot supply the want of Religion great portions and great stomacks high spirits costly fashions and great expences oft goe together externall things will quickly blast and the most resolved